The Citydweller
by Cats070911
Summary: When Tommy's mother quits and demands he return to Cornwall to look after his estate he realises what exactly keeps him in the city. Could a confirmed citydweller like Barbara ever fit into a life in Cornwall?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** all usual disclaimers apply.

I have been travelling a bit so my thoughts wandered.

* * *

Dorothy Lynley screamed and threw her pitchfork into the hay. She turned and cursed the mare that had just broken the fence and was now cantering up the hill. The damned animal stopped and looked back at her as if taunting her. She picked up the fork and threw it towards it but it fell well short. The chestnut horse snorted then turned and ran freely, its black mane streaming in the wind.

Enough was enough. She was too old for playing lady of the manor and it was about time her son either came back to run the estate or sold it to the National Trust. She could be anonymous in London. Lady Asherton could retire to a nice townhouse in Chelsea where she could be simply Dorothy Lynley except on necessary occasions. Even Knightsbridge would suit her and she could attend the ballet or opera, and eat in restaurants with fine linen and silver cutlery rather than the fish and chipperies of Nanrunnel. This time she would not sacrifice what remained of her life so that Tommy could feel good about himself doing his civic duty as a policeman.

She trudged wearily to the house and telephoned the estate manager. "Lynley's Glory broke her fence down again. She's running up in the cliff paddocks."

Her second call was to Tommy, the Eighth Earl of Asherton. She was about to launch into a tirade when she she paused. "Who's that?"

"Good morning Lady Asherton. It's Barbara, Barbara Havers. Sorry the DI is indisposed at the moment. Can I take a message and get him to call you?"

Dorothy wondered if her son was using his sergeant to field his calls. "Tell Lord Asherton that his precious brood mare has escaped."

"Right," Barbara replied hesitantly, "any other message?"

"Yes! Tell him I quit!" Dorothy slammed down the phone and instantly regretted her rudeness. It was not Barbara's fault. She was angry with Tommy, not her. She would ring back and apologise but not until she had showered.

Barbara looked at the phone then placed it back on the table to finish recharging. Her boss would be back from his meeting with the Hillier and the prosecutor soon. As she sorted through their statements for the trial tomorrow she smiled at the thought of Lady Asherton storming off Howenstowe in a fit of rage. Mother and son were frighteningly similar but both would hate to acknowledge it.

It was almost an hour before he sauntered in to the office. "Sorry, it took longer than I thought. Did anything happen?"

"Yeah, sort of. Your mother rang. She said your precious brood mare has escaped and that she quits. She sounded pretty upset."

"Did you try to calm her?"

"No. She hung up on me."

Tommy sighed heavily then ran his hand through his hair. "Should I ring her back do you think?"

"Er, yeah, I definitely think. I'll leave you to it. I need a break."

Tommy took three deep breaths then hit his mother's speed-dial button. She answered on the third ring. "Good afternoon Mother."

Ten minutes later, his ear throbbing, he dialled off. His mother seemed determined this time. She had threatened to leave the estate before he had married Helen but this time he knew she meant it. They had argued, as they often did, about his responsibilities. In many ways he would be happy to return to Cornwall but he could not leave his job and more troublingly he could not leave his partner of ten years. He knew it was not healthy but he needed Barbara. She kept him grounded; kept him sane. If he thought she would ever consider a transfer to Cornwall he would have asked. They could both live at Howenstowe. There was plenty of room. They could dine with each other when time allowed and at weekends maybe go walking along the clifftops. He could even help her with her cases; act as a sounding board for her theories. There were less murders in Cornwall so she would have a better work-life balance. They could live some sort of life together. He shook his head and dismissed the thought. It would never work. How could he even ask her?

"Did you sort your mother out?" Barbara asked when he emerged from his office. He beckoned her over and closed the door behind them.

"Not really. They caught the mare. She was unharmed. Mother asked me to apologise for her rudeness. I promised her we would go down this weekend."

"Right okay," Barbara replied almost automatically. "We?"

"I know it's asking a lot but I could do with the moral support. She'll be less...aggressive with you there."

Barbara tried not to look at his pleading brown eyes, two pools of anxiety and friendship that she could never refuse. "No Sir, I think you need to be a big, brave Earl and face up to your mother by yourself."

Tommy could not help but grin at her. "Please?"

"When are you leaving?"

"Friday afternoon. We'll drive back on Sunday afternoon."

"You will. I don't remember agreeing to go."

"I need you Barbara." Tommy knew that her resistance was partly game but mostly genuine. She, understandably, did not want to be caught up in their family quarrels but he did need her with him.

Barbara looked up. He had never said that so blatantly. Even that night he had turned up distraught at her flat they had talked in abstract about their dependency on each other. He was serious and she was touched by the raw honesty in his voice. She knew she could not refuse. He had a way of spellbinding her that was frustrating yet wonderful. The damned man knew she would relent but she was not going to let him walk over her. "Why?"

It was a simple question but the answer was incredibly complex. Tommy opened his mouth to speak then clamped it shut. "Because," he finally managed feebly.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that 'because' is not an answer. I'll come with you if you can tell me why you need me." She tried not to look smug but she knew by his red face that he was at a disadvantage.

"Let's have dinner. I'll think how to phrase it properly and tell you then."

"It's not something you can look up in one of your books you know Sir."

"I know. I just want time to think...about how to answer. Seven o'clock?"

"Somewhere I can wear jeans," she shot back, "I'm not going to have you try to make me uncomfortable so that you don't have to answer."

"Jeans it is. I'll pick you up."

Barbara smiled briefly then left him to ponder. She tidied her paperwork and headed for the bus. She might intend to dress casually but she wanted a shower and she had to check she had a clean pair of denims. It would be awkward to have to dress in her best trousers after making her point.

Tommy sat as his desk thinking about his answer. He had come within a hair's breadth of blurting out something he had never even consciously thought. He had almost told her he loved her. Now she was gone he was able to smile broadly. He _was i_ n love with her. It made perfect sense and opened so many possibilities but it also brought a thunderstorm of problems. How could he possibly tell her that he loved her? How could he solve his mother's problem without being separated from Barbara? How could he ever bear to be without her? How could he suggest she move to Cornwall when she was a London girl? He ran his hands through his hair. One problem at a time. First he had to tell her he loved her. Or did he?

Tommy made two phone calls then drove to Barbara's flat. He nervously wiped his sweaty hands down his trousers then practised his smile before he knocked. He shifted his weight across his feet twice before the door answered. "Good evening my, er Barbara."

"My what?" she smirked.

"My favourite sergeant?" he suggested hopefully.

"Hmm, you must really want me to come with you."

"I do, rather desperately," he admitted as Barbara shut the door and checked it had locked properly.

"You really think she means it this time don't you?"

Relieved to be able to talk about anything other than their relationship he started to tell her everything. "She's threatened before but she knew Helen would never move down there. Helen thought it far too provincial." Tommy opened the car door for her and noticed her eyebrow shoot up. He raced around and hopped in the driver's side allowing her to pull her own door closed. "Then after we separated Mother knew I had to wait, then after Helen...Mother never pushed me but this time I think she is really finding it too much. She wants to do other things with her life and I can't blame her."

"But what about...your life?" Barbara had been thinking about his dilemma since she had left the office. Tommy was acting as if he needed her permission to leave. She did not want him to go but he could not stay because of their partnership. It made no sense but she knew in his position she would hesitate too. "Are there any DI roles in Cornwall?"

Tommy grinned at the way she could read his mind. "Yes, a junior one. I rang to check this afternoon."

"No good. What about DCI? You should have been promoted years ago."

"Nothing immediate but I am not sure I want to continue in the service. If I go back I should put time into the estate."

Barbara stared out the window. It seemed he had made his decision. She was not surprised but it hurt. Just the thought of not seeing him everyday, not being able to argue with him, not having him arrive with a coffee in the early morning when they had to drive to a crime scene brought a lump to her throat. "I'll miss you." She had not meant to sound so pathetic.

"There are things we need to talk about Barbara but not in the car."

She was unsure whether she had been chastised or whether the waiver in his voice was a similar emotion. They sat in silence until he pulled up at his fashionable Belgrave house. "Chez Tommy, the finest food served with a jeans-friendly ambience!"

They looked at each other and grinned. Tommy had ordered a dine-in service for eight o'clock. He escorted Barbara to his lounge and asked her to sit while he fetched two beers from his well-stocked refrigerator. He had only taken a sip when the door rang and he left Barbara while he showed the chef his kitchen and dining room. "Won't be long," he said as he returned.

She smiled up at him. She had almost tucked her feet under her on his sofa. She subtly moved to sit more demurely. "So do you do this often? Order dinner to be brought to you?"

"No; it's run by the wife of a school chum. I thought it might be perfect tonight so we can...talk."

"Why don't you just admit..."

"Sir, dinner is served," the waiter announced pompously.

Tommy put his hand gently in the small of her back as he guided her into his dining room. A small circular table had been set up next to his carved mahogany monolith. The intimate table was draped in crisp white linen and set with glinting silverware. At the centre of the table was a floral setting with three red candles which the waiter lit as Tommy pulled out Barbara's chair.

"I said jeans-friendly," she hissed as the waiter left the room, turning off all the lights except a lamp in the far corner. It was a little too cosy, romantic even, and she felt like a goldfish on carpet.

"My house, my dress rules but that doesn't mean we can't have a nice meal."

The waiter returned with appetisers. Barbara was not sure whether to use cutlery or her fingers to eat the six little snacks on her plate. She waited until Tommy began. He had delicately picked them up between his thumb and forefinger and placed all of the little pancake into his mouth. When she Imitated him she found it was salmony but delicious. "Hmm, these are good," she said after the prawn nori.

He smiled at her softly. "You sound surprised."

"We you know me, pig's ear and all that."

"I disagree. You are well past that stubborn class distinction phase. You only need the opportunity to blossom into a beautiful, cultured woman."

Barbara almost spat her sip of beer in a manner that would have completely contradicted him. "How much have you had to drink?"

"One day you will learn how to take a compliment," he said grumpily.

"Sorry. Thank you Sir, but you're having a delusion."

"No I'm not actually. Barbara this is long overdue but I..."

The waiter reappeared. He cleared the table then reset it for soup. He ladled out steaming creamy soup. Barbara remembered that the soup spoon always went from the front of the bowl to the rear. She focussed hard on eating correctly and not slurping. She could not identify the taste but it was tasty and slightly spicy. "Spiced cauliflower," the waiter said in answer to her unasked question.

Tommy decided to keep the dinner conversation light and general. Earlier awkwardness disappeared as they ate tender eye fillets grilled to perfection and served with thick cut chips and crisp green beans. Barbara wondered how often they were asked to provide steak and chips as part of the service. She smiled lovingly at Tommy knowing he was trying hard to make her feel relaxed. The painful thought that she would miss him made her pause. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the time they had together.

Tommy had been watching her carefully and had not missed her expression. It made him sad yet hopeful. Her expression changed to pure joy when she saw the mousse - three large spoonfuls of dark, white and milk chocolate on a bed of crumbled chocolate biscuit and drizzled with double cream topped with golden shards of toffee. He watched mesmerised as she devoured hers then helped finish the one that lay half-eaten in front of him.

They retired to the lounge where Tommy prepared Black Russians as digestifs. Barbara sat contentedly on his couch. She had enjoyed the meal and the effort he had gone to make her feel comfortable. They continued to chat about work until they had finished their drinks and the restaurant staff had packed and were about to leave. Tommy made them second drinks then left Barbara while he discreetly paid and escorted the waiter and chef to his door. He wanted to ensure they were alone.

Barbara was relaxed; perhaps too relaxed. She wanted to hear his explanation to her challenge earlier but she also knew she would go with him at the weekend regardless and thought perhaps not knowing would be less disturbing. When he returned she was ready. "Thank you for dinner. It was lovely. I will come with you this weekend if you want me to, but I want it on record that the dinner did not persuade me."

Tommy laughed softly then sat on the sofa next to her. He noted her surprise and grinned at her. He could easily have sat on the opposite end of the couch but he had chosen to be next to her, so close in fact that his thigh burned where it touched hers. "I wasn't trying to bribe you. I was trying to set the atmosphere to tell you something else."

Barbara lowered her gaze into her drink. She studied the way it reflected light as she swirled it in the glass. "I've guessed," she said slowly.

Tommy swallowed hard. "So how do you feel about it?"

"I understand your reasoning but I'll miss you. I...I'll really miss you."

Realising she thought he had decided to go to Cornwall and not that he loved her Tommy put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. "You don't have to miss me. You could come with me..."

"To Cornwall? Are you daft? What would I do there if you weren't working? It wouldn't be the same."

Tommy lifted her chin with his hand so she was forced to look at him. "No, I'm not daft. For a start you could take the DI's role in St Ives. Your name is second on the promotion list. I checked that today. Don't look at me like that. Of course I know you took you exams when I was trying to drink myself to death."

"I wasn't sure you'd ever come back to me. I only coped by burying my head in work."

"I wish I'd never shut you out then, I'm sorry Barbara. The thing is...I don't want everything to be the same between us any more. I want something else." He leant forward and kissed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Tommy was the first to speak. "I never intended that to happen. I didn't bring you here to seduce you."

As she lay in his arms Barbara was not sure what to think. One gentle kiss had unleashed a tsunami of pent up emotions. Kisses escalated, clothes were shed and they had made love to each other vigorously on his lounge-room floor before adjourning to his bed. "Do you regret it?" she asked, dreading his answer.

Tommy pulled her closer. "Heavens no! It was...this is wonderful. I honestly can't recall feeling more at peace with myself and the world. I meant what I said, I love you more than anything. I just want you to know that I never expected anything. I respect you too much."

She wriggled in his grip. "So a lady with more breeding would have waited? Not from some of the women I've seen you with."

Tommy thought how it must look from her point of view. "Most of them would have an eye on my money and title and try to seduce me. This conversation is not going the way I intended Barbara. I was worried that you might have regretted it and felt rushed. I don't want you to think that the candlelit dinner was simply a means to get you into my bed. It wasn't because I hadn't even considered that I would kiss you, not yet. I had simply wanted to tell you that my feelings for you go well beyond those of a colleague or even a friend. I wanted to explain that I need you, not just to help with Mother, but to function, to live. I only realised today when I thought of moving away that you are everything to me. You're my first thought of a morning; the reason I get up when somedays I don't think I can; the reason why I put the stopper back in the whiskey decanter some evenings when the demons call, and you're my last thought at night when I ache to see you the next day. I didn't recognise it as love because it was not the same jealous possessiveness I felt with Deborah and Helen. I don't want to own you Barbara. I want you to be with me because you want to be here; because you..."

Her kiss silenced him. "Because I love you with all your faults and insecurities!"

"All sounds like a lot," he replied with mock indignation, "I'll admit to a few."

"You have a lot of good points too," she whispered as she ran the tip of her finger suggestively down his chest.

Exhausted, an hour later Tommy fell into a deep, dream-free sleep. He woke with a start when an expletive was cursed in his ear. "What the hell?"

"We are due in court in half an hour and all I have are jeans!"

They looked at each other and grinned before they sprang out of bed. "Mother keeps some clothes in the spare room wardrobe," he said leading the way. "Something there should fit. Pick something suitable while I shave."

Forty minutes later they thumped down either side of Winston on the witness bench outside the courtroom. "Did you bring the paperwork?" Tommy asked anxiously.

"Yes Sir. You only just caught me. I was halfway out the door when you called. I thought you two must have gone direct."

"We were a little late today," Tommy replied as if arriving late to court with wet hair and slightly crumpled suit was normal.

Winston turned and looked at both of them. They radiated happiness and Barbara was wearing a black suit and crisp white shirt that were immaculately tailored but far too tight over her chest. He remembered seeing Lady Asherton wearing the same outfit last year when she had arrived at the office and had insisted on talking immediately to her son. "Nice suit," he said cheekily to Barbara. She glared at him. He leant closer. "Good of Lady A to lend it to you."

Barbara's face went bright red. She looked helplessly across at Tommy. "Winston," he said seriously, "we would appreciate if you don't mention this in the office. Barbara stayed at my house last night. I have some issues with my estate that we were working on and it got late and we fell asleep."

Winston nodded with equal gravity. Before he could reply the clerk called Lynley in to testify. Nkata turned to Barbara. "I hope you gave the DI's 'estate' a thorough investigation and were able to sort out what was troubling him. It must be awful when your estate doesn't run properly. Ow! You can't hit me, that's assault."

"It's battery. Now shut it Winston." Barbara's smile undermined her attempt at anger. "And the DI's estate is in fine condition thank you."

That night Barbara had insisted that she go home so that she could pack for Cornwall. She and Tommy had eaten at a pub well away from prying Met eyes which was prudent as most of the evening they had struggled not to touch each other or sneak a quick kiss. Tommy drove her home and had accepted her invitation for coffee. Once inside the door they had kissed passionately. Barbara was grateful that she had made her bed the day before and that the sheets were only one day from fresh. Tommy's hands were undoing her shirt and she wondered who she had been kidding when she had insisted on spending the night alone. "Stay," she ordered.

Tommy was no help whatsoever in the morning. Roving hands and tantalising kisses made it three times slower than she normally took to pack. On the way to the office they stopped at his house. Tommy shaved quickly then showered. Barbara had been idly watching the street from his window but when she heard the running water she smiled. She had watched him shower once before but this time she wanted to see more than a delightful outline through steamy, frosted glass. She stripped off quickly and entered his large shower. His surprise quickly turned into a huge grin. "We are going to be late," he told her.

"You're the boss," she snuck in before he kissed her.

With damp hair they both arrived at the office with slightly flushed faces and contented smiles. Tommy knew that in an office full of detectives, it would be clear that they had become lovers. "I'll get some coffee so it is a little less obvious."

They deliberately avoided being alone until it was time to drive to Cornwall. Neither made any secret of their weekend plans and no one thought it odd. Winston followed them to the door. "I hope you work out the issues with your estate," he said with a cheeky grin. "By the way you left this on the photocopier."

Tommy frowned but was closest to Winston and took the paper. "Thank you Winston, have a good weekend."

Barbara tried to snatch the paper from his hand but Tommy held it out of her reach. A quick glance told him everything. "Have you sent it yet?"

"No. I was just preparing it. It was only an option," she said with embarrassment as she hurried to his car.

They sat in silence for the first ten minutes then began to chat about the traffic and his family. They had driven about two hours when Tommy pulled in to a layby on the motorway. "Coffee break?" she asked.

"Not exactly," he replied cryptically.

When she opened her door Tommy had rushed around and held out his hand. She laughed but allowed him to help her up. He pulled her straight into his arms and kissed her. A lorry driver tooted his horn as he passed them. "I needed a kiss," he said simply.

"Wow! Me too it seems but seeing we stopped, coffee wouldn't go astray."

Tommy bought coffees and insisted on another kiss before he handed it over. For the next three hours they drove in a mixture of comfortable conversation and companionable silence. Tommy deliberately waited until he thought Barbara was relaxed."DI Havers has a nice ring to it I think."

"Yeah, but I don't know. It's a big change. Anyway I haven't said I will. I was just thinking about it."

"Cornwall is nice. We don't have to live at Howenstowe if you'd prefer something else. I know it's not London but we could come back often. I'd keep the house of course. Even your flat if you'd prefer."

"Live with you?"

"Why not? You don't think after the last two nights we could live apart? Besides DI Lynley sounds good too."

"DI Lynley? You'd consider taking a junior position there?"

"No, I was just speculating," he said obtusely, "maybe DI Havers-Lynley?"

"What on...oh! You don't mean?"

Tommy grinned like a schoolboy and nodded. "Nothing would make me happier."

"You can't be serious Sir?

"Tommy. You can't call me Tommy when we're making love and Sir the rest of the time."

"Better than the other way around."

"Hmm, but we're talking about getting married. I think that warrants a Tommy."

"One thing at a time. I'm flattered but..."

"But?"

"You have a tendency to rush into these things."

"Would you even consider applying to Cornwall if I wasn't thinking of moving back?"

"No."

"Then you are prepared to move to be close to me so I don't think talk of living together and marriage is a stretch. I was going to propose properly but I got excited by the thought of it and wanted you to say yes before we saw Mother. I'm sorry. You deserved me to ask you in a romantic setting. Don't say yes or no. Let me ask you again later."

Barbara sat back in her seat and closed her eyes. The world spun around her faster than she was prepared to manage. "It's all happened so fast. Do you know what you want to do Tommy? About your mother and Howenstowe? We need to sort all that out first."

Tommy was heartened by her response. 'We' implied she was intending to be involved. He knew he was rushing her and he understood her well enough to ease back and wait for her to catch up. He was sure though that they were meant to be together.

"Does your mother even know I'm coming down with you?" she asked with a hint of panic.

"Yes, of course."

"Does she know...about us?" she enquired suspiciously.

"She might have guessed." He was nonchalent and really did not care what his mother thought.

There was a mischievous undertone that alarmed her. "Oh Sir...Tommy! What did you say?"

"That any decision about my future had to include you," he said firmly. He had not even considered what his mother might think or how Barbara would feel. Now he fretted that either could react adversely. He wanted them to like each other.

"So she doesn't know we are..." her voiced trailed off.

"Lovers? Well I didn't ring her and say 'guess what, I had the most magnificent night of my life last night' if that's what you mean but I don't intend to hide it. I love you Barbara and I want the whole world to know," he said cheerfully.

Barbara was touched by his enthusiasm but doubted his family would welcome her. "She won't approve but will be too polite to show it."

"Oh no, if Mother didn't approve she would tell me, in no uncertain terms."

Barbara took a deep breath then asked, "is that why you asked me to marry you? To make her worry about it so much she forgets about quitting?"

"No!" Tommy pulled off onto a side road and switched off the engine. They were driving between the villages at the edge of Dartmoor National Park and the road was deserted. Tommy turned to Barbara and stroked her face softly. "I asked because it is something I want and I don't see any point in waiting a second longer. Frankly I don't care whether Mother approves or not. We're an odd mix I know, but we are good together."

He saw her objection and raised his hand. She waited. "Not just in bed but in life. We've always had something, right from that first case. We will doubtlessly argue about things and exasperate each other at times but underneath it all we're unbreakable. So when I ask properly, I hope you'll say yes but before that I will just keep on loving you."

His kiss was tender and loving. Her arms snaked around him and held him close. She barely believed it was real but she was never going to let him go. Of course she would say yes. Halfway through another kiss reality hit her and she broke away. "I can't be Lady Asherton. I could be Mrs Lynley but never Lady Asherton. Everyone would laugh at you. Can't we just keep it a secret, even from your family?"

"No, my family has enough secrets and I'm not going to treat you as if I'm ashamed of you or our love." Tommy knew he should have been prepared for this reaction but it still stung him to think she was worried about his damned title. He decided words would complicate thing further so he simply held her close and stroked her back. He shifted uncomfortably as the gear stick dug into his leg. Slowly he released her. "I'm sorry I rushed you," he said contritely, "let's just take one thing at a time. Mother first and then we go from there."

Barbara nodded. She was trying hard to focus on the difference between fantasy, fear and reality. His warm chest and masculine scent reassured her. "I'm okay. Just a little overwhelmed. None of this seems real. I keep expecting to wake up and find it was all a dream."

"At least you didn't say a nightmare."

Barbara smiled at him as she remembered how majestically he had made love to her. "Oh definitely not a nightmare."

"Good."

"I do love you Sir, I have for ever," she said earnestly, "we can solve this." Tommy smiled and kissed her quickly. That was not Barbara his lover speaking, that had been Havers his sergeant. It was a statement he could trust.

Tommy became nervous as he neared Howenstowe and Barbara sensed it. "You okay?"

"Hmm, sorry. Yes, this place always does this too me as I drive up. So many memories good and bad."

"Places can do that; as if they concentrate all the highs and lows of life like a lens and it burns right into you. Look at the sky. What do you see?"

Tommy looked across at her and frowned. "Clouds? Or approaching sunset?"

"I thought you were the intellectual here. Look at the way the light is falling. It's as if someone has cut the clouds from an old sepia photograph and pinned them onto a blue sky. All the old memories on a new background creating something beautiful and fresh but something that could never exist without the past."

Tommy looked at the yellows and greys then reached over a squeezed her hand. "That's us. Let me explain the clouds."

Barbara listened intently to Tommy's story. She had known parts of it but now understanding the history behind his troubled relationships with his family so much about her dark and brooding man, filled with unfounded self-doubt, made sense. "Nothing changes that history. You're shaped by it but you don't have to be bound by it."

"We don't have to be bound by it," he said smiling.


	3. Chapter 3

Lady Asherton had spent the afternoon pondering the moods and logic of her eldest son. He had insisted on making his long-suffering partner part of his decision-making and Dorothy smiled knowingly. She had thought for a long time that they were more than friends. It hurt her to think he did not feel comfortable enough to tell her earlier but then she wondered if perhaps it had been going on for years, even when Helen was alive. She had known at the time of his engagement party that Tommy's infatuation with Helen had waned and Helen herself had seemed disinterested. The thrill of the chase was greater than the enjoyment of the prize. Many successful society marriages were based, not on love, but mutual interest and she had hoped that they had found an equilibrium that would work for them. Sadly the accident and Tommy's pursuit of the culprit rather than his wife had told her where his priorities lay, especially when he had stayed with Barbara after she was shot.

Her son had even chased Barbara to Cornwall as she recuperated after being held hostage. Dorothy had suspected then that they were lovers. She understood guilt and recognised it in his reaction to Helen's death but he had surprised her by pushing Barbara away instead of clinging to her as she had to Roddy. Maybe Barbara had pushed him away? Maybe her guilt was too great? Dorothy would never know but the one person who had been there when he had made a horrible mess of things with Julia Obourne had been Barbara. It could not have been easy for her to help defend her former lover when he was accused of killing a woman who had just shared his bed.

She was determined not to judge Tommy or Barbara. She had no right to do that and no need. If Barbara was the one her son needed to be happy then so be it but she could not imagine her being willing to muck out the stables and feed the horses. Barbara seemed rooted to the city. Dorothy had not worked hard for years to leave Tommy a legacy only to have him sell it to the National Trust because his girlfriend was a citydweller but she was tired, mentally and physically. She needed a break. If Tommy was not willing to move home the third option was to lease it out. She could not imagine anyone other than Lynleys living in the house but it might be a compromise.

She glanced cautiously out the window for the third time in half an hour. Tommy had said he would arrive about eight and it was nearly half past. This time a set of yellow headlights were flashing between the hills about a mile away. She went to freshen up hoping that the weekend would not be too unpleasant.

Barbara was surprised that she was not nervous. She had always been wary of Tommy's mother but tonight she was more concerned about how Tommy would cope with his mother. She did not want to come between them but she was not going to be used as a pawn in an intricate game of high society chess. If that meant clashing with Lady Asherton to protect Tommy then she was prepared.

Dorothy could see the change in her son and Barbara as soon as they stepped from the car. They were certainly lovers now but it was clear that they had not been all those years. She felt ashamed of all her assumptions but she also pitied them. They must have been miserable loving each other and not acting on it or worse still not recognising it. For the first time since before his father had taken ill Tommy looked whole. It was a strange word to use but it was much more than happiness or contentment. He greeted her warmly and genuinely and Dorothy began to cry.

"Mother! What's the matter?"

Dorothy shook her head and embraced him. He hugged her affectionately. Barbara came and stood next to them. "Hello Lady Asherton," she said when mother and son broke their embrace.

"Welcome Barbara," she said as she engulfed her in a bear hug, "call me Dorothy please."

"Thank you Dorothy," Barbara said feeling that she needed to return her hug before the woman intended to release her grip.

"Thank you," Dorothy whispered, "thank you for bringing Tommy back."

Barbara saw relief and joy in Dorothy's expression when Tommy had greeted her. She suspected that was not his usual behaviour and was beginning to understand that this weekend was not just about the future it was about healing the past so the future could be changed. Tommy took her hand. It was as much a signal to his mother as it was affection. "Let's take the bags to our room."

Barbara tried hard to keep her face neutral. She could not tell if Tommy was expecting his mother to be shocked or if it was simply a statement if fact. Dorothy's beaming smile showed no forced politeness and Barbara could see that she was pleased. It was not the reaction she had expected but she was not going to question it.

Tommy's room was large and overly ornate in furniture and dressings. If they were going to live here she would ask that this room at least be modernised. Like most of the house the walls were lined with dark-stained oak, or maybe mahogany - Barbara was not much good at identifying timber. The four-poster bed was intimidating enough but the heavy, sage-green damask bedspread and matching curtains were depressing. When she spotted a chair upholstered in the same material she groaned. "Was it like this when you were a boy?"

"No, the curtains and bedspread were maroon. You don't like it do you?"

Barbara saw no point in lying. "It's not my taste," she said simply.

Tommy smiled to himself. Barbara's taste in furnishing's from his recollection was eclectic to say the least. This had been an expensive change a few years ago when his mother had wanted to freshen up the bedrooms. The material was the finest French Jacquard silk but as he looked around he realised it was gloomy. "Mine either," he agreed. "The bed however you will like; not too soft and not too hard."

"Which bear are you?"

"Bear?"

"Goldilocks."

Tommy came over and kissed her passionately. "I'm the big, bad wolf."

He backed Barbara against the bed and they tumbled onto it laughing. A few kisses later she pushed him away. "Think of your mother. I don't want her thinking we can't keep our hands off each other."

Reluctantly he let her up. "I don't want to think of my mother when I'm kissing you. Besides I think sharing a room with only one bed gives her a clue that we might like being together physically."

They adjusted their clothing and hair and headed for the door. "At the right time and place," she said, "what's funny?"

"You sounded just like her," he smirked. "Ow! No need for violence."

"I'm tense enough without you comparing me to your mother."

"Relax, she is no better than you. In fact not as good. Just remember I love you; nothing else matters."

Dinner was a simple, informal gathering in the small room that the family used when they did not have guests. The round table was set for three. Barbara was beginning to feel the nerves she had anticipated. She hoped dinner was simple to eat and that she would not appear too working class in her table manners. She had formed images of them all sitting at opposite ends of the big table they had used for his engagement party. In movies you often saw rich husbands in their maroon smoking jackets reading the paper while their wives sat yards away with a small dog on their lap for company.

"Barbara?"

Tommy was speaking to her. "Oh sorry, I was miles away."

"Would you like something to drink?"

She nodded and frowned and Tommy could see she was not sure how to answer and did not want to appear ignorant in front of his mother. Barbara was perched anxiously on the edge of her chair. He poured them all suitable drinks. As he sat he bent down and kissed her cheek reassuringly then toasted a happy weekend with his family. He reached under the table and rested his hand on her knee. She jumped but quickly put her hand over his wrist. He twisted his hand so that they were holding hands, their fingers automatically interlocking.

Dorothy watched as subtly as she could. Tommy was besotted but not in the same adolescent way he had been with Deborah. He had never shown Helen much affection in front of her, maintaining the decorum she suspected he believed was required. Tonight though he was focussed on Barbara's needs. She was trying hard to hide her nervousness but Dorothy had met enough tenant farmer's wives to know Barbara was worried that if she relaxed she would make an error and embarrass Tommy. She vowed not to discuss the issue that had brought them here tonight and to make Barbara feel welcome. Dorothy asked about the drive from London then with practiced clumsiness knocked over her wine.

Tommy had observed the interplay between the women. He saw his mother calculate how to spill her glass without risking it breaking. It was a clever tactic and ever practical Barbara helped his mother mop up the spill with paper-towels from the kitchen. As they worked together they began to chat and Barbara's nerves vanished in a discussion of aging and care homes. She even told Dorothy about her parents and their last years. Tommy sat quietly eating his roast lamb and sipping his wine as the two women started to become friends. He knew that a few years ago he would have been envious but he was secure with Barbara. He could share her time knowing she would always love him above all.

They retired about ten. Tommy could not wait to snuggle up to her under the covers. "You and Mother got on well I thought," he whispered into the ear he was kissing.

"Yeah, I thought she'd look down on me but she was nice."

Tommy's kisses slowly won over Barbara's anxiety about whether or not his mother would hear them. "She won't but I don't care if she does." Barbara rolled over on top of him and began to wriggle down. "Oh yes! It will be me she'll hear if you keep doing that."

When Tommy woke the sun was streaming through the small gap in the curtains. He reached over but the bed was empty and cold. He sat up concerned that Barbara had left him. _No, she'd never do that._ He called out but there was no answer. He went to the window and saw Barbara in her jeans walking to the stables with his mother. He frowned then smiled. _Poor Barbara!_

Dorothy introduced Barbara to the horses. "This is Lynley's Glory," she said pointing out the chestnut beauty. "She's a fine horse but she has an ego bigger than Tommy's!"

Barbara chuckled, feeling slightly disloyal. "They're huge animals."

"Yes, but good horses. This is Tommy's horse 'Hamlet'. We have to stable him with BH; they're inseparable. They are both horrible apart but together they're like lambs. Hamlet's a champion but BH is an equine bitzer. Tommy saved her from a fence and brought her home when she was a foal. Hamlet adopted her and they later had a foal. We were going to sell it but both of them protected it like it was gold. That's him over there. We call him Windy."

"Because he goes like the wind?"

"No, heavens no, because he farts so much."

Barbara was speechless but then dissolved into fits of infectious laughter and Dorothy joined in. "What does BH stands for?" she asked once they had settled.

"Tommy never said but I always thought it was Bloody Horse, that's what most of us called her when she was out of sight of Hamlet."

"It was short for Barbara Havers," he said from the stable door where he had been leaning watching the women.

Barbara turned and gave him a huge welcoming smile. Tommy crossed the floor in three strides and took her into his arms. They kissed each other as if they were alone. If his mother had not been there Tommy knew where such kisses would lead. "Good morning my love."

"You named a horse after me?" she said accusingly.

"A wonderful horse," he assured her. "She was alone and afraid when I found her but had a fiery temperament. She and Hamlet were friends from the moment they met; he the purebred and she the product of generations of farm horses. So it reminded me of us."

Barbara walked over to BH who came immediately over to her. Tommy pressed up behind Barbara and hung his head over her shoulder. Hamlet came over to greet his master. Tommy showed Barbara how to stroke their noses and feed them apples that his mother had in her basket. "We can all go riding this afternoon," Tommy suggested.

"I can't ride," Barbara hissed so his mother could not hear.

"BH will take care of you. She'll walk beside Hamlet all day."

"I'll think about it," Barbara conceded. She would actually like to try riding a horse.

Tommy kissed her briefly. "I'll fix that fence. Why don't you help Mother then we can go after lunch?"

Barbara was adept with the hose while Dorothy laid out new hay. The citydweller was shown how to brush the horses and she carefully combed BH while Dorothy groomed Hamlet. Even though she knew her technique was lacking the horse did not seem to mind and kept laying its head over her shoulder just as Tommy had done. Barbara was quite taken with her namesake. She understood the logic of her name.

Dorothy scrutinised Barbara, not with a critical eye but an admiring one. She could not help but note the differences between Helen and this woman. Helen had tolerated Howenstowe and horses but Barbara was happy to muck in and help. For someone unfamiliar with horses she had won over BH. Hamlet was also watching and Dorothy sensed his initial jealousy of the woman taking BH's attention fade. Dorothy did not miss that Barbara watched Tommy through the stable window. He was shirtless as he hefted the sledgehammer and crashed it down onto the wooden post that Lynley's Glory kept pushing over. There was an undeniable element of lust in Barbara's eyes but the way she looked at her son was far deeper. She loved him in a way no other woman ever had. They were good for each other. Dorothy decided she not only accepted Barbara, she approved of the relationship.

The two women chatted as they worked. Before she realised Dorothy had told Barbara about the years of isolation after Tommy had walked out on her. She confided her guilt about Roddy Trenarrow and how lonely she had been since his suicide. They talked about Cornwall life and being countess. She was shrewd enough to paint only a positive picture but then she wondered if what she saw as positive would horrify Barbara who was either was easy to talk to or a skilled interrogator. Dorothy thought perhaps both applied.

Tommy finished the fence and came into the stables. His chest glistened with sweat which dampened her shirt when he kissed her. He smelt earthy and woody and his face was flushed with effort. "I'm out of condition," he said, "I'll shower then meet you for lunch."

When they finished the stables Barbara looked down at her clothes. Horse dung and hay clung to the bottom of her jeans and her shirt smelt horsy. "I had better shower too," she told her host who smiled generously.

Tommy was dressing when Barbara entered their room. He kissed her and pulled a piece of straw from her hair. "Sorry you were roped into cleaning the stables."

"I enjoyed it. Are you sure I'll be okay riding?"

"Of course. Leave your clothes outside the door. They'll be laundered by the time we get back."

"I can't get used to that. If you show me where the machine is I can wash our clothes."

"No need yet. Today you are a guest. How was Mother?"

"Friendly and remarkably frank. She told me about Dr Trenarrow and your father."

"No doubt she had justification," he grunted.

"No, only loneliness and fear of being alone. I can sympathise in some ways but she knows she was wrong to ever let if affect you. She regrets that Tommy."

"I know. If the last few years have taught me anything I have come to understand how she could love them both. She told me once that she had confessed to Father and that he had forgiven her. I didn't know how he could but as I get older I think do. He knew he couldn't fulfill her needs any more but he loved her and wanted her to be happy."

"The question Tommy is whether or not you want her to be happy now?"


	4. Chapter 4

Tommy had stopped to kiss Barbara passionately at the top of the stairs. A precursor for later during their ride he hoped. He knew that this phase of adolescent infatuation would eventually pass but he would give in to it while it lasted. "I just need to check on something then I'll meet you and Mother in the living room."

Barbara stole one last kiss. She too was enjoying being close to him. No one had ever touched her or kissed her the way Tommy did with a heady mix of eroticism, joy and love. "Don't get stuck in there for hours on estate business. If you need to work we don't have to go riding."

He smiled knowingly at her. "Nice try but BH will disappointed if you renege now."

Barbara sighed, defeated. "I guess but don't blame me if they run off or I get thrown."

"I'm there to protect you Barbara. Always. Now go and find Mother. I'll only be five minutes."

When Tommy emerged from his library he found his girlfriend in the hall talking to Dorothy. He smiled at the thought of Barbara as his girlfriend rather than his sergeant. Soon, he hoped, she would be his fiancee.

They headed into the living room for luncheon and he noticed the brochures strewn on the table. He picked one up and flicked through it. Vivid images of the world were neatly arranged in alluring collages. Ancient ruins were juxtaposed against fjords and South sea islanders in outrigger canoes. Happy, well-heeled travellers were smiling over elegant meals and kicking up their heels as they danced under moonlit skies. Majestic ships steamed across flat azure seas and waiters, dressed from another age, held trays of gaily coloured cocktails. He flipped back to the front cover and smiled. The brochure was for Cunard cruises and his mother had bookmarked the world cruise section. "Thinking of a holiday?"

His mother's face flushed, catching Tommy off-guard. Nothing usually flustered his mother. "I suppose we need to talk about the future at some stage. Yes, I would like to take the world cruise on the Queen Mary 2. It goes to New York then the Caribbean then down to Rio and around the cape then across the Pacific to Tahiti and Australia then up through Asia and India and back through the Suez. One hundred and twenty five days. There's so much to see and all those exotic places," she said excitedly.

"When does it leave?"

"Six weeks."

"Do they have any cabins left?"

Tommy's mother looked down at her feet and he instantly suspected she had already booked her berth. "Do you remember Lady MacAllister?"

"Yes, vaguely. You went to school with her if I remember correctly?"

"Yes, well she was widowed last year. She's asked me to share a suite with her. It'll be cosy; it's not a huge suite but it'll be just like boarding school again."

"I think that's a wonderful idea Dorothy," Barbara enthused.

"I was thinking it would be a good trial Tommy...for you and Barbara. Four months to see if you like living in Cornwall. We don't have to decide on Howenstowe's future until I get back. It...it'd give us all breathing space and time to think."

Barbara took Tommy's hand and squeezed it. He looked down at her uncertainly but when she nodded he had his answer. "I could take six months leave of absence and there is a DI slot that Barbara could apply for. That could work but I would have to decide soon. Are you sure this is what you want Mother?"

"She deserves a holiday Tommy. An around the world cruise sounds wonderful. We can make it work."

Dorothy had become very fond of Barbara in just a day. She was perfect for Tommy - level-headed, practical and fiercely loyal but able to reason with him in a way no one else could. "Four months Tommy, then we can all decide. But I don't want you two running off and getting married while I'm away."

Tommy put his arm around Barbara. "You won't get back for almost six months. I don't think I can wait that long."

"Are you two engaged?" Dorothy almost squealed in delight.

"Not yet but we have talked about it," he proclaimed proudly, "I have a rather strong desire to start our family quickly."

"You never told me that!" Barbara said with genuine surprise. She gasped as she realised they had taken no steps whatsoever to prevent that possibility. Everything had just seemed natural. Barbara rather liked the idea of creating a new life together that was part of both of them but not just yet.

"Well, I don't want to miss the birth of my grandchild either."

"Mother, you'd be back in ample time. I think it's an excellent plan. You will have to send postcards from every port. Now I think we should eat while you tell us exactly where you will go." Tommy ushered the women to the table.

The couple chatted about his mother's itinerary as they walked to the stables. When she saw the horse again Barbara seemed uncertain whether riding was a good idea. "I'll look after you as will BH. She's taken a real shine to you," he said as he saddled the horses and strapped a riding helmet firmly on Barbara's head. "Just in case."

"Are you wearing one?" He hestitated only slightly before grabbing his helmet. He only ever wore it if he intended to go flat out or jump Hamlet. This was a gentle walk but he did not want her to feel nervous.

He led the horse out and helped her mount BH. He instructed her how to sit comfortably in the saddle and how to hold the reins. "How do you steer?" she asked.

Tommy laughed then showed her how to pull the reins and use her feet. "You won't need to today. BH follows Hamlet everywhere."

"Unlike her namesake."

"So if I decided to move here permanently you wouldn't follow?" he asked disappointedly.

"I didn't say that but I like to at least know where I'm going and why. Besides WE are making that decision aren't we, after your mother's holiday?"

"WE are!" he said and followed it with a kiss.

Tommy led Hamlet up the most gently sloping path onto the cliffs. BH tucked in beside her mate which afforded Barbara and Tommy a chance to chat. Barbara slowly relaxed and almost forgot that she could not actually ride. The view from path was spectacular. The ocean looked like folds of rippling navy satin. The low angle of the afternoon sun caught the long line of cliffs which glinted as if inlaid with wavy lines of diamonds. The stiff onshore breeze combed the grass flat against the clifftops but where the horses had walked they had crushed the grass and created an artificial change in a landscape that otherwise seemed untouched.

They rode on slowly across the cliffs. The vegetation was thicker in the dips where water drained towards the precipice. At one of these dips Tommy bent down from his saddle and picked a flower that he placed over her ear before he kissed her. BH neighed and shifted and they laughed. Tommy picked another flower that he put in her bridle and the horse settled again.

"She really is me!" Barbara declared with a mixture of amusement and wariness.

They rode for an hour before Tommy turned back. The view towards the house was even more impressive. Barbara looked down towards the estate headquarters and smiled. Tucked next to the sea, Howenstowe's soot-blackened chimneys were just visible amongst the greenery. Beyond the house, Nanrunnel's little harbour jutted into the sea and part of the town was visible as little grey smudges against the the verdant, undulating headland.

"I never tire of coming up here."

"Where does you land finish?"

Tommy pointed in an arc. "Over four miles further on."

Barbara swore gently. "I keep forgetting how important you are down here."

"Not really. It's more a token these days although the tenant farmers do rely on me. One day I want our son to bring his wife up here and then his son to bring his wife. I can't let it go to the National Trust but I understand if you don't want to move here. I'll enjoy the few months here but then I'm thinking of leasing the house and getting in managers to take over sections of the estate."

"If I wasn't here what would you do? Could you give up the Met?"

Tommy did not answer at first but took her hand. "Yes, I think I could. I would probably move here and give Mother the London house to live in."

"Then that's what you should do," she said softly.

"It's not just about me now though. I can't ask you to give up London and move here just for me."

"It would be a good place to raise children but..."

"It is, wonderful. But?"

"I don't know if I could cope with sending them away to school."

Tommy smiled at the thought of a small tribe of children running around. Then he thought of them as teenagers. She might change her mind but he had been lonely at Eton. If they had children he wanted them to grow up happy and secure. "Agreed."

Barbara looked over and frowned. "This isn't a business transaction. We're talking about our children's lives here."

"Exactly. We are talking about having children together. We are talking about living here together to raise them. We are talking as if it is fait accompli. Is it?"

His cheeky, hopeful smile touched her deeply. "Yes, it is, if that's what you want," she said solemnly, "I don't do anything special in London except go to work. If you're not there London would be empty; my life would be empty. I know, because that's what it was like last year."

Tommy leant over and kissed her with such tenderness that Barbara felt her tear mix with the one from Tommy that had fallen on her cheek. He broke away and slipped off his horse so easily Barbara thought he had fallen. He undid his helmet and dropped it then helped her off BH. Hamlet and BH wandered away discreetly. Barbara wondered if they were leaving them alone or simply wanted time together without the humans. Tommy gently unclipped her riding helmet but left the flower tucked behind her ear.

Barbara knew what was coming but when he knelt down she was still surprised. He fumbled in his pocket and produced a small red velvet box. "Barbara," he squeaked nervously, "Barbara no words can adequately express how I feel right now. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. To live together, sleep in each other's arms, have children that we bring up together, and maybe three or four dogs. I want to grow old together. I know this seems rushed but I know in my heart this is right. I should have realised a long time ago how I felt and I'm sorry that I was such a fool but we are a team Barbara, a strong partnership that transcends everything. Will you marry me?"

"Yes...of course I will but I can't promise to be a perfect wife or countess."

Tommy opened the box and carefully pulled a gold ring from the box. It was set with three small emeralds separated by two larger diamonds. "I don't want a perfect wife. I want you, exactly as you are. Someone who is perfect for me. This was my grandmother Beatrice's eternity ring. The Seventh Earl was also Thomas and if you look inside you will see an inscription."

Barbara's hands were shaking as she took the ring. She read the inscription and made a mewling chuckling sound. "TL loves BH eternally."

"Her maiden name was Hancock."

Tommy stood and pushed the ring onto her finger. It caught slightly on her knuckle but then slid comfortably home. "It's beautiful Tommy," Barbara told him, her voice quivering.

Tommy took her hands in his. "Like you. It matches your eyes," he said then kissed her so tenderly that the hair on her neck stood on end. Their embrace tightened and their kiss deepened. Hamlet looked over and whinnied and he and BH moved further away as their riders sank into the grass.

Tommy brushed some strands of hair from Barbara's face as he helped her dress. He kissed her again and told her how happy he was that she had agreed to marry him. Secretly, with male pride and a depth of love he had never known was possible, he hoped that he had impregnated her right here on the clifftop. It would seem fitting. "We'll be happy," he said, "I promise." This time Barbara stroked his face reassuringly and tugged at his shirt so that he bent down. She initiated the kiss and before long all thought of riding home was forgotten.

It was late afternoon when they mounted the horses and turned for the house. Neither of them had wanted to leave the little dell that had sheltered their lovemaking. They had been content in each other's arms, leaving the world to fend for itself.

"We should come riding more often," he said wickedly.

The innuendo was not lost on her and she smiled. "Yes, we should."

They rode back in silence with barely any distance between their horses. They smiled at each other but both were lost in thought. To Lynley making love to Barbara was not just physical, it was spiritual, almost sacred. She opened her body and soul to him as no one else ever had. He was so secure in her honesty that he was able to give himself over to her; to merge into an new entity. That was the essence of marriage he concluded and why this one would work when his first had failed. He had never felt that way about Helen. He had been right when he had told Barbara he had never really loved her.

For Barbara it was never about the sex, undeniably wonderful though it was, but about the connection. Kissing him, feeling his silken skin against hers, having a living remnant of him remain inside her, were all symbols of the emotional bond they shared. They trusted each other as they could not trust anyone else; with their innermost vulnerabilities. She knew that he understood she was apprehensive about his title and obligations but that none of that mattered to him. She knew, if she asked, he would give up his title. She was determined to learn; determined never to embarrass him. She looked down and her ring and decided not to take the position in Cornwall CID. She would stay with him on the estate.

When the crested the last hill Tommy stopped Hamlet. His brow crinkled into worried furrows at the scene below. "There are police cars at the house!"

Barbara was instantly worried. Three cars, two with flashing lights, meant trouble. "You go on," she said bravely.

"No, BH will simply chase Hamlet. Can you hang on if we go a little quicker?"

Barbara nodded and wrapped the reins around her hands. Thoughts of being scared were subsumed by worry about what they would find at the house. Tommy moved off and soon had Hamlet cantering. BH followed smoothly as if she sensed Barbara had no control. They cantered to the house without incident and Tommy swung off the horse and rushed over to an officer. He came back and helped her down. "Stay here Hamlet," he instructed his horse. He turned to Barbara. "There's been a murder."


	5. Chapter 5

Barbara followed him inside unsure who had been slain. Dorothy greeted them in the lounge and Barbara sighed with relief. She had not even noticed she was holding her breath. She watched Tommy talking to a man in a suit standing by the fire. "What's happened?" she asked Dorothy.

"Bill Gladwin, the local DCI was found dead in his office this afternoon. Stabbed I think they said. Sir David rang looking for Tommy then all these men arrived. That's Superintendent Lincoln talking to Tommy now."

Tommy pulled out his mobile and dialled Hillier. "Yes Sir, they're here now...Of course...No need, Sergeant Havers is with me. She came down with me this weekend for a break...Yes he can stay here too...I understand Sir."

DI Lynley strode over to his sergeant. "We are staying a little longer than planned. It's been agreed that I'll head the investigation. The Assistant Commissioner is sending Winston down now. He should be here tonight. I said he can stay here Mother, a room in your wing might be best. We should get changed and then start."

Barbara followed Tommy. They showered quickly and changed. Tommy had a spare suit in his wardrobe but Barbara only had casual gear. It would have to do. Before they went back downstairs Tommy kissed her lovingly. "This doesn't change anything but I'm sorry about your weekend. I had planned to spend tomorrow in bed with the future Mrs Lynley."

"Hmm, plenty of time for that. We should tell your Mother though, about this," she said holding up her ring, "or do you want me to take it off."

Tommy embraced her. "No I don't. No one else will notice and let's just see how good Mother's powers of observation are. We can tell her tonight. Right now we need to see the body."

They passed his mother in the hall. The police had all moved outside and were awaiting instructions. Tommy turned back to his mother. "I'm not sure what time we'll be back. Ask Winston to phone one of us when he arrives."

"Certainly Tommy," she replied smoothly. She held up her ring finger and smiled. "Congratulations by the way, both of you. I hope you'll be very happy."

Tommy and Barbara raced back and gave her a quick hug. "Not a word yet Mother, even to Winston. Not until we solve this case."

"Can I at least ring Judith?"

"No," the police said in unison as they headed for his car.

As they drove they discussed protocols for interviewing fellow officers who might be witnesses or suspects. Tommy feared the small station might close ranks around their own. Barbara was more concerned that Tommy might be in danger. "That applies to both of us," he said. It was not reassuring. "We stay together, at all times. Is that clear Barbara?"

"Yes Sir!"

"Don't, please. I just can't lose you. I'd never want to control you." He laughed and added, "not that I ever have been able to."

"I know. Let's just solve it. It sounds awful being stabbed in a police station."

The scene was simple. Gladwin was sitting in his chair, his head falling to the left and his eyes wide with shock. A blue-handled pocket knife protruded from his chest at the top of a large tear-shaped bloodstain that had soaked his pink shirt. His grey suit coat hung undisturbed on a hook near the door. The papers on his cheap, timber desk were neatly arranged and the sash window was open. Nothing else in the spartan, white-washed room looked out of place except the absence of a coffee cup on the coaster that advertised Cornwall.

"Who found the body?" Lynley asked the Super.

"PC Ingham. She was bringing him a cup of coffee at about 2:15pm. She screamed but placed the cup outside so she didn't contaminate the scene. We all came running. I was the one to check him but he was gone. So we cordoned it off, called SOCO and then Sir David. I wanted someone outside to investigate so that this is all clean. I want his killer caught Lynley. I was glad you and your sergeant were down." There was the slightest query in his voice speculating why Lynley would have his female sergeant with him.

Barbara took the lead. "The Inspector's mother is planning an extended holiday and as I was thinking of applying for your vacant DI position the Inspector thought I could house-sit Howenstowe for him. I came down to see if I would like that."

Both men looked at her; one in admiration, the other with curiosity. "I see. Solve this and the position is yours!" He turned to Lynley. "Where do you want to start?"

It took them several hours to interview the fourteen officers that were assigned to the station. Only six had been present at the time of the murder which appeared to have been in a window of only twenty minutes just after everyone had been at a weekly health and safety meeting that had finished just before two o'clock and two fifteen when the body was discovered. "Who has time for safety meeting?" Barbara asked her boss.

"It's a much quieter lifestyle in Cornwall Barbara."

Winston rang and Tommy asked him to run a check on all the police as well as recent and notable cases Gladwin had worked on. "I'm looking for anything unusual, any connections to Gladwin outside of the norm, any shared relations…I presume you have your laptop?...Ask Mother to give you the wifi password. It works best downstairs. And if she bothers you in any way you have my permission to tell her to leave you alone…Yes, I'm sure…Ah good, well send him over now but I want to hold you in reserve. Goodnight and ring me if you find anything."

"He arrived okay?"

"Yes, he came down with Stuart Lafferty. I asked him to sent Lafferty over now. How are the SOCO boys going?'

Barbara nervously fingered her ring. She was sure Stuart would notice but she was not going to tell Lynley. Maybe she could just wear rubber gloves all day. "I'll check."

With so many officers around Lynley thought it was safe to split up. He informed Lincoln that the initial interviews were complete and that Lafferty was coming over to assist with the post mortem. "Everything by the book Sir."

"Good. Any suspects?"

"Nothing firm Sir, we need to do more investigation."

Barbara knocked and entered the room. "SOCO found no traces of entry or exit through the window. It looks like it was someone in the station."

Lincoln collapsed into his chair. "I thought we were like a family," he said with dismay.

"Most murders happen within families Sir," Barbara said. She thought perhaps she should have remained silent when both men turned and stared at her.

They commandeered a room at the neighbouring pub as their headquarters. They did not want the risk of being overheard or spied on. Tommy had dragged an old easel from the station and they used that and the surface of the bed as their incident board. "At least if the bed is covered we can't be tempted," he said giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

They rang Winston and cross-checked. None of the officers who had been on duty outside of the station had any unusual connections. A few phone calls confirmed their whereabouts during the murder window. "That leaves six potential killers." Tommy wrote their names on the board, starting with Lincoln and Ingham. "Anyone you thought was suspicious Barbara?"

Barbara referred to her notepad. "Ingham was in shock. She hasn't been here long; came here straight from Hendon Academy. I think she was genuine. She did well to remember not to contaminate the scene. She told me it was her first 'live dead body'."

Tommy grimaced at the butchering of the language. "I agree. Also Lincoln. I've known his family for years. And he's smart. There's no way he would do it in the office and run any risk at all. The only one I was suspicious of was…"

"Neasbey?" Barbara cut in.

"You too?'

"Yeah, something about him didn't add up. He said all the right things. I mean the others stumbled around and couldn't remember some things, then added bits later, but he had a succinct storyline right from the start. It sounded almost rehearsed. And he barely looked at the knife before denying seeing it. Everyone else stared at it as if it was about to stab them."

"Maybe it's his training? He's ex-paras." Tommy's phone rang. "Winston…ah very interesting, keep digging."

"News?"

"Yes, Neasbey had a half-sister who was killed in a car accident a few years ago. Gladwin was the investigating officer."

Barbara grabbed a few hours sleep while Tommy made some calls to local contacts. "They'll love you ringing at this hour."

"It affects a small community," he replied, "you'll come to understand that when you take up the role here. They'd lynch me if I didn't ring them. They would feel unimportant."

When Barbara woke Lafferty and Winston were in the room. Just as well she had opened her eyes before speaking. It would be very hard to explain 'good morning my love'. "Hiya," she managed meekly as she sat up.

Tommy was behind the others and smiled broadly and mouthed 'I love you' while the others greeted her warmly. The post mortem had shown the wound had penetrated the heart and killed him almost instantly. "He probably just had time to collapse into his chair," Lafferty said.

"Yes. He was standing when he was stabbed. One blow from someone who knew what they were doing but tried to disguise the fact. I'd say the killer was left-handed and about six one, maybe six two."

"Neasbey!" Lynley and Havers exclaimed.

"He signed his statement with his left hand," Barbara said triumphantly.

"I think it's about time we had another chat with Sergeant Neasbey."

The interview lasted almost three hours. Neasbey was good and had clearly had anti-interrogation training. In the end it was Barbara's hunch that made the breakthrough. "Gladwin's report into your sister's death says that it was likely she crashed her car deliberately. Did that anger you?"

'Of course it angered me. My mother was unable to claim any of her life insurance, even though the coroner left the verdict open. But why would I wait four years?"

"Vengeance is a dish best served cold," Tommy said with chilling menace that made even Barbara shiver.

"Were you close to your sister?"

"Yeah, I s'pose."

She dug in her book. "Ah yes, at the safety meeting Gladwin said something to you. Here it is 'you're just like her'. No one knew what he meant but he was referring to your sister's delicate mental state wasn't he?"

"She was not delicate!" Neasbey shouted angrily, "it was an accident."

"She'd been in and out of rehab for years hadn't she?" It was a complete stab in the dark but Barbara chanced her arm. "She didn't want to go back again did she? She couldn't face failing again?"

Neasbey launched over the desk and grabbed Barbara by the throat. "I'll kill you, you bitch. Just like that supercilious prick that thought he was so high and bloody…"

His words were silenced by Lynley's fist. The man fell to the floor limply. Tommy shook his fist thinking perhaps it was broken then swept Barbara into his arms. "Barbara are you okay?"

She moved her arms searching for space and took in a few deep breaths. "Yeah, I think so," she squeaked then allowed Tommy to embrace her.

Lincoln and Winston were in the room in a flash. "He'll be fine," Winston said as he cuffed Neasbey.

"How are you Sergeant?"

"Fine, thanks Sir." Tommy had released her as soon as the door opened but the other had been behind the glass and had probably seen that his reaction was excessive.

"I'm glad Lynley acted so quickly. Neasbey is ex-military you know. He could have broken your neck in a quick snap."

Tommy frowned at Lincoln as Barbara sunk onto the chair. "That's what worried me Sir, I had to act fast."

"Indeed. Nothing excessive. The bastard's not dead, although I wish he were. How did you know Sergeant? About his sister's history?"

"Lucky guess."

"Nonsense Barbara," Tommy scolded, "she's a brilliant, intuitive detective Sir. One you should be proud to have as your new DI."

Lincoln smiled. "You're actually a good team. I was watching you throughout the interview. No wonder Hillier thinks so highly of you both. I know this sounds in poor taste with the man dead less than a day but would you consider coming here as DCI?"

Tommy and Barbara looked at each other and nodded. "Sir," Tommy started, "I have to confess that we have a conflict of interest situation. Sergeant Havers and I will be married soon so that would make the situation impossible from the force's perspective."

"I see. Does Hillier know?"

"No Sir. We…well we…"

"We only became lovers three days ago," Barbara said bluntly as she watched the shock on Nkata's face and the broad smirk on Lafferty's. His 'I knew it' almost made her laugh.

"And you are going to be married?" Lincoln said with some surprise.

"Yes," they answered in unison.

Lincoln smiled. "Easily solved. DI Lynley can report to DCI Bourke and DCI Lynley can take over the other squad. When the big crimes happen everyone works together anyway. It's not like we have the staffing, or the crime, of London."

"May I have a word with Sergeant Havers alone Sir?"

'Of course." Lincoln shuffled everyone else out of the room. Two officers picked up Neasbey who groaned loudly. They moved him deliberately so he groaned more.

"Well?" he asked her.

She simply grinned at him. "I'd like it. I never thought you really wanted to give work away but here the worklife balance might be better."

"So it's settled then. I might need a hand around the estate but I can employ someone. I'll have to have a lock put on my office door so I can kiss my wife occasionally. I don't think Lincoln would mind actually."

When Lincoln telephoned Hillier about the result and his offer to poach his officers he used the speakerphone in his office. Hillier was apoplectic when he learned of their relationship. "Three days my aunt's black foot! They've had some sort of thing happening since that first case. And sneaking off to Cornwall."

"Sir David," Tommy said using his Lord Asherton voice. "For the record it was three days. You might be right about the rest but unfortunately no one informed Barbara or me that we were in love. However your choice is simple, either you agree or I come back to live on my estate anyway. I think the best interests of the police service should be put above any petty squabbles and wounded pride."

Hillier snorted then agreed a transfer date. Lincoln shook their hands twice; first to congratulate them on their appointments and secondly to wish them well for their marriage. 'Come on, I think we have to face the masses now."

* * *

Barbara smiled at the postcard from New York. "Your mother seems to mention this Teddy a lot. I think she might be falling for him."

Tommy wrapped his arms around her from behind and hung his head over her shoulder. "Good, Sir Edward lives in London so she won't change her mind and want to come back here."

"I'm glad she's having fun."

"Mmm, me too. What about you? Do you miss London?"

"No," she said honestly, "and I like the job. I get to see you and still work with you and then come home here. It's a good life Tommy. Do you think Dorothy will mind the changes?"

"It was time to update things here. Barney's doing most of the hard work with the farm. In here it's our home now and the modern look actually goes surprisingly well." Tommy had decided his wife's taste was a monetary issue rather than a complete lack of styling. For their bedroom she had chosen modern, minimalist cedar furniture that blended with the heavy timber wall paneling and added fresh, crisp white linen for the bed and neutral off white curtains to soften the room. Bright cotton prints in bold colours as rugs and cushions were spread to lift the room. It was now a cheerful, welcoming place and the large scatter cushions came in very handy when they made love by the window, which was pleasingly frequent. His mind wandered lustfully and his hands followed. "We should go riding tomorrow, up onto the cliffs. We could stop at that dell."

"We can't," she said wistfully, "BH might get hurt."

"She's in foal Barbara, not an invalid. She still has about eight months to go. Randy old Hamlet! They probably snuck off that day on the cliffs."

"Then I might get hurt," she said quietly.

"Why, you can ride quite well now…oh!" Tommy paused then spun her around in his arms. "You mean?"

"Yes, but it's only seven weeks. I waited before I checked, just in case I was wrong. I went to the doctor on Wednesday. He confirmed the blood tests today."

"Our own little Windy!" he picked her up and swung her around then kissed her. He was jubilant and just a little pleased with himself.

"I am not calling my child Windy!"

Tommy did a quick calculation then spread his hand protectively over her tummy. "If it's a boy we could call him Cliff!"

Despite herself Barbara laughed with her husband. Thoughts of dinner were forgotten as the mood changed. Tommy kissed her lovingly and led her into the living room where more scatter cushions were swept onto the floor.


End file.
